Midkine is highly expressed in neuroblastoma tissues.
OBJECTIVE
Neuroblastoma (NBL) is a tumor from neural crest cells, and is the most frequent solid tumor in children. Midkine (MK) is a pleiotropin analogon, which is frequently expressed in neuronal and epithelial tumors and is a marker for a poor clinical outcome. The aims of this study were to assess MK expression in NBL and investigate the correlation with clinical outcome.


METHODS
Fifty-six specimens of NBL were stained for MK on a tissue microarray by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Fresh frozen tumor tissues were used for RNA isolation, and RT-PCR analysis for MK-mRNA expression was performed. Survival data, risk factors and disease stages were correlated with MK status assessed by IHC and RT-PCR analysis.


RESULTS
MK-mRNA expression was found in the majority of the tumor tissues (75%), whereas MK protein could be detected only in 46% of the NBL by IHC. No correlation of MK status with survival, risk factors or disease stage was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
A majority of NBL express MK-mRNA, whereas not all MK mRNA positive tumors showed also a positive MK IHC staining. The high expression of MK-mRNA expression might present a promising target for new adenovirus-based gene therapeutic approaches for the treatment of NBL.
Fiegel
Henning C
HC
Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 20 A, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. henning.fiegel@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Kaifi
Jussuf T
JT
Wachowiak
Robin
R
Quaas
Alexander
A
Aridome
Kuniaki
K
Ichihara-Tanaka
Keiko
K
Muramatsu
Takashi
T
Metzger
Roman
R
Izbicki
Jakob R
JR
Erttmann
Rudolf
R
Kluth
Dietrich
D
Till
Holger
H
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D000078792:Midkine; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C066254:MDK protein, human; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D000078792:Midkine